diarrhea

or di·ar·rhoe·a

[ dahy-uh-ree-uh ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. an intestinal disorder characterized by abnormal frequency and fluidity of fecal evacuations.

diarrhea

/ dī′ə-rē′ə /

1. Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually a symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder. Severe, prolonged diarrhea can lead to dehydration.

diarrhea

1. The frequent passage of abnormally watery feces , which is a sign of illness.

Other Words From

• diar·rheal diar·rheic di·ar·rhet·ic [dahy-, uh, -, ret, -ik], diar·rhoeal diar·rhoeic diar·rhoetic adjective
• anti·diar·rheal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of diarrhea¹

1350–1400; Middle English diaria < Late Latin diarrhoea < Greek diárrhoia a flowing through, equivalent to diarrho- (variant stem of diarrheîn to flow through) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

Symptoms typically appear three to four days after exposure and include “severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

From Los Angeles Times

E. coli symptoms typically start three to four days after ingesting the bacteria and include stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

From Los Angeles Times

When you’re working on the project and you have limbs flying around, and blood and diarrhea and whatever else it is that you’re dealing with, it’s very technical.

From Los Angeles Times

"The most common thing that we're seeing is anything related to the gut. So diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, people not being able to eat, getting very dehydrated as a result of that."

From BBC

The most common E. coli symptoms include stomach cramps and diarrhea, and they typically start three to four days after ingesting the bacteria.

From Los Angeles Times